Dassault Mirage IV
Summary
| Category | Combat aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇫🇷 France |
| First flight | 17 June 1959 |
| Year of introduction | 1964 |
| Number produced | 66 units |
| Average unit price | $15 million |
Description
In the mid-1950s, when France became a nuclear power, it decided to acquire an aircraft designed to carry atomic weapons, thus embodying the principle of deterrence. The Mirage IV was created to fulfill this mission.
It was a large fighter-bomber, inspired by the Mirage III. One of the prototypes broke the world speed record over 1000 km on September 15, 1960, with an average speed of 1820 km/h. Between 1963 and 1966, a total of 62 Mirage IVs were built, constituting 9 nuclear squadrons, each having at least one aircraft capable of taking to the air instantly.
Because the delta wings required a long takeoff distance, rocket engines could be attached to the wings. The Mirage IV A was equipped with sophisticated avionics and able to carry a 60-kiloton AN22 free-fall nuclear bomb. In the late 1970s, some aircraft were converted to Mirage IV R for strategic reconnaissance. In the 1980s, the P (Penetration) version was created, which could be armed with an ASMP nuclear missile. Then, in the 1990s, the role of nuclear deterrence was transferred to the Mirage 2000 N. The last Mirage IV Ps were retired from service in 2005, with some approaching 7000 flight hours.
Technical specifications
| Version: Mirage IV A | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 pilot + 1 WSO |
| Operational range | 1240 km (770 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 2340 km/h (1454 mph) |
| Wing area | 78 m² (839.6 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 11.9 m (38.9 ft) |
| Height | 5.4 m (17.7 ft) |
| Length | 23.5 m (77.1 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 20000 m (65617 ft) |
| Empty weight | 14500 kg (31967 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 33745 kg (74395 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 2 × turbojets SNECMA Atar 9K delivering 4700 kgp, up to 6700 kgp with afterburner |
| Ejection seat | Martin-Baker Mk 4 |
Current operating countries
No country is operating the Mirage IV in 2024.
All operators
Armament
Bombs payload:
- Nuclear Dassault AN-11
- Nuclear Dassault AN-21
- Nuclear Dassault AN-22
Photo of Mirage IV
